Belitung – Tanjung Kelayan Tanjung Pandan

Well we are about to leave Indonesia
after nearly 3 months. The last week has been one of the busiest and
most exciting of the whole journey. We have been treated like
movie-stars. “Hello Mister, can we take your photo??” every few
paces – not only kids but adults in uniform too.

Here at Tanjung Kelayan there has been
a marine industry Expo which has coincided with our visit. The
President of Indonesia was due to arrive and we had been invited to
the official dinner, but his plans changed at the last minute.

Each year there is an expo like this
one somewhere in Indonesia but this year Wakatobi and Belitung joined
forces and our presence is part of the celebrations. The
infrastructure that has been put in place is phenomenal. Plazas and
entertainment areas, new roads to the city.

While we are here we have met the
Regents from both regencies on the island, both passionate about
their island and what it has to offer and want to improve the
island's image to the central government and the world. That is why
we are involved – to be ambassadors for the region. We are happy to
tell the world about our fantastic experience here. We are the extent
of the tourist industry at this stage.

We have had a busy schedule here –
lunch with both regents in their respective towns, visits to a kite
festival and a school, had dinner with the Regent of Belitung at the
Expo site, and dinner with the Vice-president of the country, were
honoured guests at the Official opening of the Expo.

We have had media coverage unknown
anywhere else. We have had TV and newspaper reporters and
photographers on board Lupari2 and a tribe of local school children.

Media crew aboard Lupari 2

The scenery here is beautiful, huge
granite boulders and small islands. The water is warm and crystal
clear over coral and seagrass beds between us and the shore. Turtles
are seen grazing on our way to shore. This is the first white sand
beach we have had as a dinghy landing. The island's vegetation is
lush and green.

Granite rock formations at Tanjung Kelayan

Belitong Island is part of the island
group called Belitung, which includes another larger island and a few
smaller ones. The main industries here are mining(tin, kaolin,
bauxite and other minerals), palm oil, and white pepper. (Have you
ever wondered where the name Belliton in BHP Beliton comes from?)A
lot of the forest has been cleared for mining and the plantations of
palm oil trees. The regents hope that in the future there will be
processing plants here rather than sending the raw materials to Java.
(this is the story for many of the regencies we have been to
throughout Indonesia)

It has been a fantastic time for us,
although tinged with sadness that the rally is finally in its last
stages. We have made some good friends and shared in some wonderful
experiences while on the rally.